Slippers
by My Little Big Blue Box
Summary: 'It'd been two weeks since they managed to get John locked in one of ULTRA's cells.' Astrid won't give up on John, not ever. ONESHOT


**Slippers**

Astrid tossed and turned as sleep snubbed her again. She hadn't had a real night's sleep in months.

It'd been two weeks since they managed to get John locked in one of ULTRA's cells. He put up a good fight but a well aimed tranquilizer dart from Cara helped. Not to mention they could put a block on his powers in there.

Astrid had spent most days trying to talk sense into him, get him to recognize her. There were flickers at first but John had started to hide them as soon as he realised she knew. Still, she wouldn't give up on him.

Everyday she'd come down to the lock up to speak with him, or at him, whichever he felt was best usually. Sometimes he'd answer back like a sullen teen, sometimes he'd make threats, and he'd even tried to follow those threats throw, scrambling through the bars to reach her throat. Other times he just pretended she wasn't there.

Not even a self deprecating comment or a grudging half smile had come to pass.

But Astrid refused to give up hope. She'd always had that, John had always given it to her and she couldn't afford to lose it or she'd be losing him and that...

That just couldn't happen.

With a huff, Astrid swung her legs from the camp bed she'd claimed as her own, slipped her feet into the comfort of her slippers and rose to her feet.

Dragging her feet with a soft shuffle against the fancy polished floor, Astrid followed the corridors and stairwells until she was deep underground. She didn't even try to stop when she realised just where she was carrying herself.

Picking up her feet in an attempt to not disturb him, Astrid slowed by the wall of bars on his cell and leant on the brickwork in between, an easy view to his sleeping form at the far side.

Facing away from her, Astrid watched as his chest rose and fell steadily and smiled at the growth on the cheek she could see – the clean shaven look didn't suit him – and he'd finally conceded and made use of the blanket she'd given him a few days previous.

"I'm pretty sure watching me sleep isn't a necessity."

Astrid jumped at his voice.

"I was just passing."

John turned on his mattress and braced himself in a sitting position, "You're a terrible liar."

"I've been called worse things."

John stood and slowly made his way to the cell bars, "Irritating. Naive. A general nuisance. Would you like me to go on?"

Astrid scoffed and tried to shake that it hurt, "Please, do. Sticks and stones, and all that."

John laughed wolfishly, his head rolling back on his shoulders then, with his arms above his head against the bars, slopping forwards with a lull. John's entire body froze and for a moment, Astrid dismissed it for a mood swing just like all the others he'd had in his time there.

Then he looked up at her.

His eyes suddenly sad and longing, that old recognition in the lines of his frown.

"What?" She asked cautiously.

John looked back down and Astrid followed his line of sight. A bubble of anticipation burst inside her.

"Slippers."

Astrid laughed then, short with disbelief, "Seriously? You can't remember any of your friends but my slippers ring a bell?"

"They're nice slippers." John glanced at her with a smirk and for a second, Astrid was in her living room, wallowing in self pity but grasping at John's company, and she could see he was there too.

"So." Astrid said soft and short, "There is something still rattling around in that head of yours."

Staring, almost glaring in competition, at one another, Astrid begged herself not to cry as she saw the wall creep back up in his eyes.

"Fine." Astrid sighed, heaved off the wall and resumed walking past his cell. She called behind her, "You just come back to us when you're ready, John."

"Question is," John bellowed back, and Astrid turned to face him, "Why do you want him back so much?"

This time, Astrid smirked, "Why don't you take a leap of faith and find out?"

And with that, she left.

* * *

**A.N. **I really wish they'd given us another series. Alas, fanfiction will have to suffice.


End file.
